The Mercedes-Benz 'Cloaking Device'

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The Mercedes-Benz 'Cloaking Device'

Posted by Soulskill on Tuesday March 6, 2012 @04:13PM from the at-least-it-can't-fire-while-cloaked dept.

cold fjord writes "As part of its marketing campaign for the new hydrogen fuel cell powered F-Cell, Mercedes-Benz has equipped one with a cloaking device. They covered one side of an F-Cell with LEDs and used cameras on the other side to capture the view, which is then displayed on the LEDs to effectively remove the vehicle from the line of sight."

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I won't buy it. by rush,overlord,rush! · 2012-03-06 16:17 · Score: 5, Funny

The insurance must be very high.
All My by NEDHead · 2012-03-06 16:18 · Score: 4, Funny

Luxury cars are cloaked too - which is why it looks like I drive an old minivan
1. Re:All My by mjwx · 2012-03-06 18:57 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Luxury cars are cloaked too - which is why it looks like I drive an old minivan
  Bah, I dont need a cloaking device, most drivers act like the cant see my car already.
  
  --
  Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
2. Re:All My by LanMan04 · 2012-03-07 02:52 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  http://www.break.com/usercontent/2007/10/Chamelion-XLE-383947
  Spokesman V/O: If you're a luxury car owner, there's something you should know. Luxury sedans are stolen at the rate of four per minute.
  [ show couple walking to curb from restaurant; his car is nowhere to be found ]
  Man: My brand new BMW! I just got this car two days ago!
  [ Spokesman enters foreground ]
  Spokesman: Frightening, isn't it? Suddenly, the idea of buying a car for the cache of a hood ornament seems outdated. In the 90's, you don't need a car to tell the world you're wealthy; you need a car to tell the world you're smart.
  [ show luxury car under wraps, as a breeze sends the cloth flying to reveal a junky-looking vehicle underneath ]
  Spokesman: Introducing the Chameleon XLE for 1993. Finally, a luxury car that doesn't look like a luxury car.
  Inside, the Chameloen XLE has everything you would expect in a luxury sedan of its class. Soft leather seating, a contoured instrument panel, and fine wood. But there's more - much more.
  Authentically distressed fenders give way to a partially padded roof of blistered vinyl. While under the hood, a simulated transmission-fluid drip whispers, "Hey, not worth the trouble." This is craftsmanship no one will steal. GThis is engineering for the inner-city driving experience.
  [ Spokesman places marble at the top of hood, which rolls forward into a hole at the bottom of the hood ]
  Spokesman: Every inch of the Chameleon XLE is a pinnacle of urban design.
  There's attention to detail. Like three mismatched wheel covers, and one exposed rim in school-bus yellow. Standard.
  A broken taillight repaired with duct tape. Standard.
  Retractable antenna. Standard.
  The body of a Pontiac with a driver's-side door from an Oldsmobile Delta '88. All standard.
  A car thief takes one look at this, and keeps right on walking. Of course, it's equipped with an automatic alarm system - but do you really think you'll need it?
  [ Spokesman turns on alarm, which renders the car even more useless ]
  Spokesman: The Chameleon XLE. They might tow it away, but they'll never steal it.
  
  --
  With the first link, the chain is forged.
I would hack it. by TheInternetGuy · 2012-03-06 16:34 · Score: 4, Funny

If I had one I would hack it to make it look like a running Alien.

--
If my comment didn't sound as good in your head as it did in mine, then I guess we all know who's to blame
Terminology by subreality · 2012-03-06 16:37 · Score: 5, Insightful

A proper cloaking device isn't just a flat image of the surroundings; it would need to be holographic so it would look right from any angle.
I would call this "adaptive camouflage", and it's doing a damned good job at that.
Hydrogen centralizes the pollution for remediation by perpenso · 2012-03-06 17:13 · Score: 4, Insightful

Until our electricity comes from renewable sources hydrogen power is worse than fossil fuels.
I don't think it is quite that simple. Hydrogen moves the pollution from many mobile sources, cars, to a very small number of non-mobile sources, power generation stations. With all pollution coming from these stations there is the opportunity for remediation, capturing the pollution to prevent its entry into the environment. Doing so is expensive and technically challenging but plausible.
Re:Fugly! by Sneeka2 · 2012-03-06 17:14 · Score: 3, Funny

I may be wrong, but I'm sensing that you may not particularly like this car.
That may just be me reading too much between your lines though, I tend to do this sometimes.
Sorry if I misunderstood you.

--
Bitten Apples are still better than dirty Windows...
Ok, yeah, that's cool, but... by element-o.p. · 2012-03-06 17:28 · Score: 5, Funny

Ok, yeah, that's cool, but what you really need is an airship covered with light emitting diodes across one side because then you could have...

...wait for it...

...a LED Zeppelin!

--
MCSE? No, sir...I don't do Windows. Yes, I am an idealist. What's your point?
Re:MI6 will cover it by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-06 17:29 · Score: 4, Informative

I'm just going to leave this right here...
Re:MI6 will cover it by cold+fjord · 2012-03-06 17:34 · Score: 4, Funny

With Labour improved MI6 being all in for diversity, the new James bond is deaf and will sign "hear", you insensitive clod!

--
much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
Re:Hydrogen centralizes the pollution for remediat by perpenso · 2012-03-06 18:24 · Score: 4, Insightful

I don't think it is quite that simple. Hydrogen moves the pollution from many mobile sources, cars, to a very small number of non-mobile sources, power generation stations.
You know what also does that? Electric cars. And without the extra, extremely inefficient electrolysis step.
Again, it is not that simple. You forgot about the batteries. Import lithium from distant lands, manufacture batteries, use batteries, recycle/dispose of batteries in the proper manner, by expensive new batteries, ...
Now ad downtime for charging.

All electric is not a panacea. It has its own set of issues and requires some technical advances.

Hydrogen has an advantage in that it reuses existing internal combustion technology. Minor modifications plus greater power output. Its issues are more infrastructure related. Of course all electric will need new infrastructure as well, chargers in parking lots, etc
Excellent Halloween Costume . . . by PolygamousRanchKid+ · 2012-03-06 19:06 · Score: 4, Interesting

1) Attach one tablet to your stomach and one to your back.
2) Open up a camera chat between them.
3) Put on a T-shirt with one bloody hole on the front, and one on the back, directly over the tablets.
4) It looks like someone shot a hole through you!
5) No profit, but plenty of laughs.

--
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
Re:What's point? by gl4ss · 2012-03-06 20:17 · Score: 4, Insightful

the point is to get eyeballs on the car, it's an advertisement device.

--
world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
lead into my subject lines by schroedingers_hat · 2012-03-06 21:23 · Score: 5, Funny

yeah, well my posts
Re:It is no good .... by C0vardeAn0nim0 · 2012-03-06 23:51 · Score: 3, Interesting

russians are testing a thermal camouflage for tanks. it uses infrared cameras to measure the temperature of objects (ground, buildings, trees, etc) surrounding the tanks, then send a command to thermal plates all around the the vehicle to match the measurements. this effectively makes the tank invisible to infrared devices, including night vision goggles.
imagine an american soldier, after being blasted by that tank saying as he dies: "the goggles, they do nothing!"

--
What ? Me, worry ?
Re:MI6 will cover it by jamiesan · 2012-03-07 02:47 · Score: 5, Funny

No Mr. Bond. I expect you to drive.